Court Clears $235M Sale of Northern Pulp Timberlands to Bragg

A major chapter in the Northern Pulp insolvency saga moved closer to resolution after a British Columbia Supreme Court judge approved a $235-million deal for the sale of the company’s vast timberland holdings.

Justice Shelly Fitzpatrick authorized the transaction during a court hearing, highlighting the strength of the final bid when compared with an earlier proposal valued at just over $100 million. The ruling is part of the ongoing creditor protection process tied to the shuttered pulp mill in Pictou County, Nova Scotia—a case that has stretched on for more than five years.

The successful offer was submitted by Tidnish Holdings, a company owned by Nova Scotia entrepreneur John Bragg. The purchase includes approximately 173,000 hectares of forest land and related assets, making it one of the largest forestry-related land deals in the province in recent years.

Although the mill operated in Nova Scotia, the legal proceedings are taking place in British Columbia, where Northern Pulp’s parent company is based. The sale followed a competitive auction held in late November, with interest from multiple bidders, including private companies and the provincial government.

Before the deal can officially close, it must still receive approval under the federal Competition Act, a process expected to take several months.

The transaction has been widely welcomed by forestry professionals and some environmental advocates, who view the deal as a positive step toward keeping forest land under local ownership with a long-term management approach. Bragg has publicly emphasized his family’s deep roots in forestry and commitment to responsible land stewardship. His company already owns tens of thousands of hectares across the province.

Funds from the sale will be distributed according to a court-approved payment structure. The Nova Scotia government is set to recover around $100 million in outstanding debts, while roughly $37 million will be directed toward stabilizing the pension plan for current and former mill workers.

An additional $15 million has been allocated for ongoing maintenance of the former mill site and the execution of a formal closure plan. To allow time for the deal to be finalized and closure work to continue, the court has extended Northern Pulp’s creditor protection period until April 30, 2026.